5. The Writing
Tom Stoppard is a genius, nuff said. I am anticipating Anna Karenina (already a step up from the Austens and Hardys or the world because it is wirrten by a Russian, and therefore better) if its even a smidgen like the work he has done on
Parades End. Though I have not read Ford Madox Fords original novel, I believe it is scathing and complex. So to squeeze a tetralogy of novels in 5 hours, which so far doesnt feel rushed or cramped, is a monumental achievement. The dialogue is delicious, and I imagine Stoppards hardest job was pulling it all together coherently and maintaining the spirit of Fords novels without losing anything important. Though I dont know much about him, Ford Madox Ford seems a complex enough character to warrant a documentary by Alan Yentob, and the reputation of the novels precedes itself- talk about pressure! Everything feels so natural and never stiff, unlike the cardboard back-and-forth most casts have to spout in offerings from the likes of Julian Fellowes.